William Setzer, leader in local food movement

William “David” Setzer, of Snyder, a leader in the local food movement, died Sunday in Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Amherst, after a long illness. He was 60.

Since 2009, he and his business partner, Julie Blackman, owned and operated the Farmers & Artisans Market, a shop in Williamsville specializing in local and regional produce, meat and handmade food items.

Born in Front Royal, Va., Mr. Setzer attended high school in Culpeper, Va., and was a graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.

He came from Florida to Buffalo in 1991 with his wife, Marjorie Turgeon, and managed a Turgeon family restaurant, the Nickel City Cafe. He went on to manage the Youngstown Yacht Club.

His passion for locally produced, seasonal foods began with a realization about green beans in 1999.

“Perfectly prepared green beans tasted awful,” he related on the Farmers & Artisans Market website. “The main ingredient, ... which came from South America, [was] more like cardboard than food.”

Mr. Setzer became an advocate for local food and area farmers and founded Artful Table, an artisan bakery.

He sold his breads at the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers’ Market and the Wintermarket at Lafayette Presbyterian Church, which he helped organize.

He served on the board of the Elmwood-Bidwell market and was a co-founder of the Buffalo chapter of Slow Food.

He also was a member of the Williamsville Business Association.

In addition to baking and cooking ethnic cuisine, he enjoyed fine wines and was an avid computer technician and programmer.

In addition to his wife of 22 years, survivors include a daughter, Ashley; and two brothers, Steven and Timothy.

A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday in North Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Forest Road, Amherst.